Nagpur: In an extraordinary medical achievement, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur successfully saved the life of a six-year-old girl who suffered devastating neck injuries in a stray dog attack while trying to protect her younger sibling.
The child sustained severe, life-threatening injuries to her neck after being attacked by a ferocious stray dog. The injuries caused an obstruction in her airway, leaving her struggling to breathe. Doctors initially performed an emergency tracheostomy, a surgical procedure in which a tube is inserted directly into the windpipe through the neck to enable breathing.
After being stabilised, the girl was referred to AIIMS Nagpur for advanced treatment. Detailed examinations by the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) revealed that the dog’s bite had shattered her thyroid cartilage, commonly known as the Adam’s apple, and injured her right vocal cord. She also had a bleeding wound inside her airway, which severely affected her breathing, voice and swallowing abilities.
Doctors at AIIMS Nagpur described the management of a severely crushed and infected paediatric airway as one of the most challenging situations in modern medicine. The ENT team devised a multi-stage treatment plan and conducted comprehensive examinations and surgeries under general anaesthesia. Further assessments revealed that scarring had caused a complete blockage of her airway.
Over several weeks, a multidisciplinary team comprising ENT surgeons, an anaesthesiologist and a paediatrician worked together to reconstruct the fractured structure of the child’s voice box, clear deep infections caused by the animal bites and rebuild the internal lining of her windpipe.
Following the complex reconstructive procedures, the girl underwent intensive rehabilitation. In the final stage of her recovery, doctors successfully performed decannulation—the permanent removal of the artificial breathing tube from her neck.
The six-year-old is now breathing normally through her nose and mouth, speaking clearly and has been discharged from the hospital. According to AIIMS Nagpur, she has reunited with the younger sibling she protected during the attack, returned to school and resumed playing without any breathing difficulties.
AIIMS Nagpur Executive Director Prof. Dr. Prashant Joshi praised the young girl’s bravery and commended the coordinated efforts of the medical team. The ENT Department also acknowledged the support extended by the Departments of Paediatrics and Anaesthesiology in managing the rare and critical case.
The remarkable recovery highlights AIIMS Nagpur’s advanced capabilities in treating complex paediatric airway emergencies and underscores the importance of timely, multidisciplinary medical intervention in life-threatening trauma cases.
